New spray foam insulation products have been created by Honeywell and Bayer Pearl that can be used in both residential and business structures within the kingdom of Saudi Arabia to improve energy efficiency.
Energy demand is expected to double by 2030 in the kingdom due to the boom in the region’s population, and with 1.5 million new homes being built to accommodate the new residents, energy efficiency is top of mind. New thermal insulation requirements have been imposed by the kingdom with the forecasted population increase. The requirements aim to support the kingdom’s 15-year plan to build a successful and sustainable economic future. Saudi Vision 2030 details a focus on energy conservation.
Honeywell and Bayer Pearl explained how polyurethane (PU) foam meets the kingdom’s new insulation requirements to global industry leaders, stakeholders, regulators and contractors at a workshop in Riyadh. The “Sustainable Solutions for PU Foam” workshop hosted discussions on innovative technology like spray foam systems and original blowing tools, which allow closed-cell foam to expand and ensure top quality insulating of any structure.
Engineers at King Faisal University released a study in 2013 that indicates energy usage can be reduced by up to 20 percent with wall and roof insulation is applied.
“We are working with several agencies to implement our national strategy for phasing out ozone depleting substances as required under the Montreal Protocol,” Mohammed Al-Sahafi, director general of environmental standards at the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME), said.
Saudi Arabia is planning to phase out HCFC-141b by 2018, per its commitments under the Montreal Protocol, Khaled Klaly, program officer with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), said. UNEP is assisting the kingdom to adopt new, more energy efficient blowing agent technology which will help the nation meet its energy targets.
Solstice Liquid Blowing Agent (LBA) has a very low global warming potential of 1, ranking it 99.9 percent lower than the other blowing agent tools and equal to carbon dioxide. The tool is a very efficient insulator and it is a simple replacement for other liquid foam blowing tools. LBA is cost-effective as well as nonflammable.
“Solstice® LBA is a fourth-generation blowing agent technology, which has been widely adopted around the world in many applications, such as commercial and residential appliance insulation, panel insulation and spray foam,” Amir Naqvi, regional marketing leader for Honeywell Fluorine Products, said. “We are delighted that Bayer Pearl has formulated their new spray foam system with Solstice LBA and are encouraged that KSA leaders are considering implementing these new technologies to further enhance their economy and society.”
José-Antonio Diaz-Lopez, head of application development at Bayer Pearl, a subsidiary of material provider Covestro, in Dubai, said they first realized the potential of spray foam systems used with fourth-generation blowing agent technology in a Middle Eastern construction project in 2015. “We continue to make use of Covestro's global network of R&D-centers and systems houses in order to bring the most modern technologies to the Middle East,” Diaz-Lopez said
Alerts Sign-up